Optical arrangement

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an improved optical arrangement for an optical imaging system or the like, comprising: an optical device; a digital micromirror device having a plurality of individually addressable micromirrors; a convex mirror; and a concave mirror concentric to the convex mirror. The convex mirror and the concave mirror define an optical triplet which is located in an optical path with the digital micromirror device and the optical device. The concave mirror comprises two concave mirror sections, one or both concave mirror sections being moveable relative to the convex mirror so as to control an image mapping between the digital micromirror device and the optical device.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A microscope comprising:
 a light source; 
 an objective lens configured to illuminate a specimen with light from the light source and collect light from the specimen; 
 an optical arrangement comprising:
 an optical device comprising an imaging device; 
 a digital micromirror device comprising a plurality of individually addressable micromirrors; 
 a convex mirror; 
 a concave mirror concentric to the convex mirror; 
 wherein the convex mirror and the concave mirror define an optical triplet, said optical triplet located in an optical path with the digital micromirror device and the optical device; and 
 wherein the concave mirror comprises two concave mirror sections, one or both concave mirror sections being moveable relative to the convex mirror so as to control an image mapping between the digital micromirror device and the optical device; and 
 wherein the digital micromirror device is configured to direct at least a portion of a beam of light from the light source to the objective lens via a first path that is independent of the optical triplet, and to direct at least a portion of a beam of light from the objective lens to the imaging device via a second path that includes the optical triplet. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The microscope of  claim 1 , further comprising a dichroic mirror positioned between the digital micromirror device and the optical triplet, the dichroic mirror selected to reflect light from the light source and transmit light from the specimen. 
     
     
       3. The microscope of  claim 2 , wherein the improved microscope further comprises an emission filter positioned between the dichroic mirror and the imaging device and selected to absorb light at the wavelength of the light source. 
     
     
       4. The microscope of  claim 1 , wherein the improved microscope further comprises a tube lens positioned between the digital micromirror device and the objective lens to control the size of a cross section of the beam of light from the objective lens at the digital micromirror device. 
     
     
       5. The microscope of  claim 1 , wherein the improved microscope further comprises a beam expander positioned between the light source and digital micromirror device, the beam expander configured to increase the width of the beam of light from the light source to illuminate a plurality of micromirrors of the digital micromirror device. 
     
     
       6. The microscope of  claim 1 , wherein the digital micromirror device is configured to direct at least a portion of a beam of light from the light source to the objective lens along an optical path, and wherein the improved microscope further comprises one or more additional lenses provided in said optical path. 
     
     
       7. The microscope of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is a first light source and wherein the improved microscope further comprises a second light source. 
     
     
       8. The microscope of  claim 7 , wherein the first light source is configured to emit light having a first optical emission spectrum and the second light source is configured to emit light having a second optical emission spectrum different from the first optical emission spectrum. 
     
     
       9. The microscope of  claim 8 , wherein the second optical emission spectrum is red shifted relative to the first optical emission spectrum. 
     
     
       10. The microscope of  claim 7 , wherein the first light source is configured to emit light having a first optical power and the second light source is configured to emit light having a second optical power greater than the first optical power. 
     
     
       11. The microscope of  claim 7 , wherein the digital micrometer device is configured to direct at least a portion of a beam of light from the second light source to the objective lens. 
     
     
       12. The microscope of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second light sources are positioned symmetrically about an axis of symmetry passing through the digital micromirror device. 
     
     
       13. The microscope of  claim 12 , wherein the first light source is positioned on one side of the axis of symmetry and the second light source is positioned on a second side of the axis of symmetry opposite the first side. 
     
     
       14. The microscope of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second light sources are derived from a single light source. 
     
     
       15. A method of obtaining an image of a sample using the improved microscope of  claim 1 , comprising the steps:
 (a) illuminating a plurality of micromirrors of the digital micromirror device with at least a portion of light from the light source; 
 (b) switching a virtual pinhole, consisting of N*N micromirrors of the digital micromirror device, from a first position to a second position at which a portion of the sample is illuminated with light from the N*N micromirrors and a corresponding portion of the imaging device is illuminated with corresponding light from the sample; 
 (c) obtaining an image of the light illuminating the imaging device while the virtual pinhole is in the second position; and 
 (d) repeating steps (b) to (c) for a plurality of subsequent virtual pinholes until a predetermined number of portions of the image have been obtained. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , comprising the additional step of processing the portions to obtain the image of the sample. 
     
     
       17. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , wherein the step of switching the virtual pinhole comprises simultaneously switching a plurality of virtual pinholes separated by an array width P*N, and step (d) comprises repeating steps (b) to (c) until P*P/N images are obtained within a P*P array. 
     
     
       18. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , wherein step (d) includes that each of the subsequent virtual pinholes are separated from the immediately preceding virtual pinhole by N/2 micromirrors. 
     
     
       19. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , wherein the method comprises the step of moving at least one of the mirrors of the optical triplet so as to change the magnification of the image on the imaging device. 
     
     
       20. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , wherein the method comprises the step of moving at least one of the mirrors of the optical triplet so as to correct astigmatism in an image on the imaging device. 
     
     
       21. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , wherein the method comprises the step of moving at least one of the mirrors of the optical triplet so as to achieve a one-to-one mapping of one or more micromirrors of the digital micromirror device to one or more pixels of the imaging device. 
     
     
       22. The method of obtaining an image of  claim 15 , wherein the method comprises the step of adjusting a lens comprised in the microscope so as to control the size of an illumination spot of light from the sample on the digital micromirror device. 
     
     
       23. The method of obtaining any image of  claim 15 , wherein the light source is a first light source, the method further comprising illuminating a plurality of micromirrors of the digital micromirror device with light from a second light source and directing at least a portion of said light onto the sample using said plurality of micromirrors. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first light source is configured to emit light having a first optical emission spectrum and the second light source is configured to emit light having a second optical emission spectrum different from the first optical emission spectrum. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first light source is configured to emit light having a first optical power and the second light source is configured to emit light having a second optical power greater than the first optical power.